BY COOLIE AND CARAVAN ACROSS CENTRAL ASIA
us. As nearly as we could decide, the
actual facts would never be determined.
The Mongols would probably not admit
having seen us, or, if they did so, would
claim that we had attacked them, and that,
they had been forced to kill us in self
defense.
As our hands became cold we tried to
warm them over the little dung fire, but at
each attempt we were struck in the face
and knocked back to the ground.
TIHE MONGOLS APPLY TORTURE
How long we remained in the yurt it
was impossible to know; probably be
tween one and two hours. Then we were
ordered outside. As we left the yurt we
could see a squad of soldiers with rifles
silhouetted against the stars. Clark and I
said good-bye to each other, because, so
far as we could see, it was a firing squad
which awaited us. We were led a short
distance to the right, apparently being
marched to a selected spot to be shot.
We were directed, however, into a small
caravan tent which we had not seen be
fore. There we were again thrown to the
ground. Seated back to back against a
tent pole, ropes were passed about our
bodies and arms and we were securely
tied to the pole, our wrists still bound in
front of us. Then the crowd left us,
after placing an armed soldier on guard.
We thought we were there for the night.
This brought up an even more unpleasant
prospect, for were we kept several hours
in that position, with the circulation in
our hands absolutely stopped, by morning
they might be frozen. As we were hun
dreds of miles from any medical attention,
this might mean the loss of our hands or
death, even though we were later released.
The pain became excruciating. As we
had been without food since early morn
ing, we were weak and hoped we might
faint. It was probably well that we did
not, for there would have been greater
likelihood of our hands freezing, as the
temperature was well below zero.
Mongols were continually entering and
leaving the tent. One of them, we believe,
really saved our lives. He was an older
man, not a soldier, who could speak a cer
tain amount of Chinese, as could our serv
ant Mohammed. They were thus able to
dispense with the interpreter, who had
proven himself of little use, particularly
when thoroughly frightened.
I caught enough of the conversation to
realize that Mohammed was telling the
Mongol about us, particularly emphasizing
the fact that we were friends of the Rus
sians. In the yurt we had told the Mon
gols that we were Americans, but that had
meant nothing to them; apparently they
had never heard of America. They did.
however, know Russians, and we after
ward thought that our being represented
as their friends probably prevented them
from shooting us as spies.
How long we remained in the tent with
our wrists tied we never knew; probably
from one to two hours. Now and then
a soldier came in and felt our hands.
Though this meant nothing to us at the
time, the Mongols probably knew how
long they could apply torture by this
method before doing permanent injury.
That it was intended solely as torture we
now know, for Dr. Andrews has since
told me that he has seen it being done in
the Mongol jails at Urga.
BOUND TO A POLE FOR TWO NIGHTS
After another long wait, they again felt
our hands and, apparently finding that the
limit of endurance had been reached, un
bound them. That gave us our first slight
hope that, even though we might be even
tually shot, we were not to be tortured to
death. They gave us heavier coats, some
salty tea, which is the usual beverage of
the Mongol, and later some hard bread.
They even brought a few of our own
cigarettes, which had been taken from our
pockets, put them into our mouths, and
lighted them for us.
Then they tightened the ropes which
bound us to the pole, posted an armed
guard in the tent, and left us for the night.
Toward morning, probably through sheer
exhaustion, we got a little sleep.
Sometime after daybreak they violently
awakened us and ordered our man Mo
hammed outside. He had hardly left the
tent when two shots barked out. It seemed
that surely the end had come, and one of
us remarked, "There goes poor Moham
med; I wonder who's next."
We had guessed wrongly, however.
Two hours later he was led back and we
learned that they had taken him out to
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